Ch.62Doyoung’s Favorite Random Game (9)

Though I was clumsy at offensive lies, I was confident in my defense against them, having been surprised by countless provocations and pranks since meeting Doyoung.

By now, I could see patterns forming in my mind, and with a little thought, I could predict what kind of mischief Doyoung would pull and when.

One would think that having reached this level of understanding, Doyoung might show some restraint, but it was problematic how tirelessly and consistently she continued her pranks every day.

Today, however, I thought those experiences would become an opportunity. Even if my offense was clumsy, if I could just endure defensively, I might someday deliver a decisive counterattack to Doyoung.

Perhaps all this time I had been a sacrificial lamb to Doyoung’s endless pranks so that I could finally defeat her on equal footing. That’s what I thought.

“That’s 1-0 for me.”

“…”

But when Doyoung’s attack actually began, I collapsed helplessly, unable to last even ten seconds.

I had been under a ridiculous delusion all this time. Did I think I had figured out Doyoung’s attack patterns? No, it was the opposite.

A single attack was enough; there had never been any need for other attacks.

To use a gaming metaphor, it was like confidently entering a raid thinking I could easily clear it, when I had only experienced the first phase pattern of the boss monster named Ban Doyoung.

Ah, that was a good analogy.

“Th-that’s cheating! Who lies about their gender?!”

“Huh? That’s exactly what this game is for—surprising the other person with lies.”

The confidence with which she could say “I’m a man” with that face, without batting an eye. When people lie, anxiety usually leaks through as they try to hide the truth, but Doyoung’s attitude was incredibly bold.

Even if there was no anxiety mixed in, a mischief-maker like Doyoung who loves April Fool’s Day and lying should have shown at least some joy at deceiving others.

But the precise wording she delivered so confidently didn’t feel like a lie at all, even on April Fool’s Day.

No, the proposition itself was absurd from the start. How could someone with a face that anyone would find attractive at first glance, wearing a t-shirt that stretched around the symbols of femininity, say such a lie without any emotion as if it were the truth?

As expected of the director who developed this game.

“Then you should have said you were a woman. That would have surprised me.”

“H-how could I say that…! A-anyone can see I’m a man…”

“That’s why it’s a game only for April Fool’s Day. Isn’t it comfortable? You can erase it cleanly without regret. By the way, no matter how much you think poorly of yourself, it seems you’re aware you’re a man.”

Could I have thought the same way as Doyoung? No, even if I had, could I have skillfully spoken that lie aloud like she did? It was impossible for me.

I wasn’t naturally good at lying, nor did I like lying.

With a background of school days spent being coerced by classmates to lie to teachers about switching seats with other students and making it seem natural, I couldn’t possibly enjoy lying.

“A man… how can you say something so obviously false so naturally…?”

“Even if it sounds like a lie to everyone else, you have to believe it yourself when you say it, right? If I don’t believe my own lie, who will?”

“…Even if you speak with the unconditional trust of a parent in their child, it’s still a lie in the end. It’s still fake!”

“What, do you think I said I was a man because I look like one? When you speak, you have to believe it’s true to build trust!”

After delivering a lecture on lying, Doyoung brought her sparkling green eyes close to mine when I couldn’t offer any rebuttal.

“W-why are you coming closer?”

“Why? You lost, didn’t you? Just like receiving a REWARD when you win a game, the loser should receive a PENALTY, right?”

Doyoung pulled her wooden chair closer to me. As the distance shortened, I instinctively pushed my chair back.

“Where do you think you’re going? The loser has to follow the winner’s orders for 10 seconds. Did you forget?”

“W-we agreed not to make weird requests!”

“Who doesn’t know that? So stay still.”

While I had been sleeping at the table, Doyoung seemed to have already changed clothes and showered.

Her wet hair reflecting in the veranda ceiling light and the increasingly strong scent of shampoo as she came closer subtly conveyed this fact.

I backed away fearfully each time Doyoung’s shampoo scent intensified. Though I was familiar with the smell from sitting next to her normally, the concentration of the scent as the distance closed was on another level.

I couldn’t identify exactly what fragrance it was, but when my nose reacted to it, an image of cherry blossoms naturally formed in my mind. Though I couldn’t remember if cherry blossoms actually smelled like that.

“W-wait… let me prepare myself mentally…”

“That’s fine, but time doesn’t pass while you’re preparing. The 10 seconds are counted by the person giving the orders.”

I pulled my chair back as if trying to escape, but in the small veranda of Doyoung’s room, retreating a few steps only led to the wall connecting to her brother’s veranda.

“Hey.”

Doyoung, her wet hair fluttering in the night breeze, looked down at me, emanating a fluffy steam that comes after a shower.

“…Huh?”

“Close your eyes.”

“…”

“Close your eyes for 10 seconds.”

The penalty Doyoung imposed was to close my eyes for 10 seconds. Just that and nothing more.

“W-why do you want me to close my eyes?”

“It’s an order. To close your eyes. I’ll take care of the rest.”

As Doyoung said, it wasn’t difficult, nor was it dangerous—just an ordinary command that could be easily followed.

“Or should we do it with your eyes open?”

“…”

I carefully raised my head to look up at Doyoung, who was looking down at me. Just like when she casually lied about being a man, there was no wavering in her eyes.

Doyoung’s eyes, serious about teasing me, made it impossible to gauge what was a joke and what was sincere. At least for me right now.

“…”

My breathing trembled. My heart raced shamefully, as if expecting something to happen.

That trembling was embarrassing. Pretending not to care, pretending to be noble, pretending to be innocent—while secretly anticipating what might happen next.

Doyoung would use that as an excuse to tease me again, and I would be upset, blushing and biting my lip.

A surge of self-loathing rose within me. To release it somehow, I needed to escape from this place.

But I couldn’t. The door wasn’t locked, but I couldn’t retreat. That would be admitting I was such a loathsome person.

I couldn’t do it for Doyoung’s sake either. If I ran away because of self-loathing, it would be like acknowledging Doyoung as an object of complete fear, a tree I could never climb.

I was afraid of Doyoung, but I didn’t want to run away completely.

Even as I trembled at the image forming in my mind, I couldn’t ultimately reject that image from the depths of my heart.

Why did I choose to accept this game? Of course, it was because of Doyoung’s tearful display.

Regardless, the choice was mine. Didn’t I want to be on equal footing with Doyoung, even just once, after all I’d endured? That’s why I entered the competition despite knowing it was disadvantageous, thinking I could withstand it.

So if I lost due to my own weakness, I had to quietly follow whatever Doyoung did next.

“…I’ll close them.”

I kept my head raised toward Doyoung and closed my eyes.

Don’t tremble. Even if something approaches me now when I can’t see anything.

Don’t be surprised. Whatever happens to me in this darkness.

“Stay still.”

“…Okay.”

Smoothing down my loathsome heart, I quietly waited for the 10 seconds to pass.

‘One, two, three…’

Just as I counted to three and was about to move to four—

*tap*

Something touched my lips. A sensation so warm and fluffy that it seemed it would melt away, a soft touch.

“…Open your mouth.”

Doyoung’s command came from close by. With a trembling heart, I slowly parted my lips where the sensation had just touched. The touch on my lips immediately delved inside, entwining with my dormant tongue.

That sensation, carrying a slight sweetness and a hint of saltiness, gradually filled my mouth as it penetrated deeper.

…

“How is it? The taste of my properly made rolled omelet for the first time.”

“…It’s delicious.”

Doyoung’s rolled omelet had somehow reached a level beyond what I could make.